FoodNetArchive

The household cook book

1902

Page 204 · 3 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1902. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
Some time before the cooking is complete the generation of carbonic acid gas will stop, but by that time a hard crust should be formed which will prevent the dough from falling. Flour mixed with water and baked, without being made to " rise" by using yeast or baking powder, would be solid and almost impenetrable by the digestive fluids, and therefore very indigestible, but the expansion caused by the carbonic acid gas separates the particles of gluten, and leaves the bread full of little holes, into which the digestive fluids readily enter, and so attack the bread in every part. It will be seen that, as a result of the foregoing processes, bread differs in many important respects from the flour from which it is made. In leavened bread the albumen is coagulated, the starch cells are ruptured, a portion of the starch is turned to sugar, and part of that is decomposed into carbonic acid gas and alco- hol, and part is turned to dextrin and maltose, and a little caramel is often pro- duced. The alcohol generated by decomposing the sugar is all evaporated before the bread is fully baked. YEAST. THREE HOUR YEAST.— Take 1 cup of flour, | cup of sngar, 3 tablespoons of salt; pour over this 1 pint of boiling water; let it cool, then add 1 cup of hop yeast. After this gets light, take 8 qts. of mashed boiled potatoes, and 3 qts. of warm waterThree Hour Yeast and add to the ^64 BREAD, BISCUIT, ETC. other. It will be ready for use the next day. Then 1 qt. of this yeast and 1 qt. of warm water will make 6 loaves of bread. With this yeast, bread will rise in 3 hours and the bread can be baked the same day, which is quite an advantage. HOP YEAST — Take 1 qt. of water, steep a small handful of hops in it, and when it has boiled for a few minutes strain this water on 6 grated potatoes; then boil them until clear, say 20 minutes, stirring all the time; if the potatoes are large, and the paste becomes too thick, add a little more water; while it is boiling, stir in ^ cup of sugar and a tablespoon of salt; when it has cooled so that it is luke- warm, add a teacup of yeast; let it rise over night, then stir it down, and put in the yeast jar; cover tightly and set it in the cellar. This yeast usually keeps 2 weeks in hot weather, and longer in cold. A coffee-cup of this yeast, and 2 qts. of warm water or milk, with a little salt, and lard or butter, will make 6 or 8 loaves of bread, according to the size of the pans. POTATO BALL YEAST.— Take a pint of finely mashed boiled potatoes and have it as dry as jDossible; add 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 tablespoon of salt. Soak 1 fresh yeast cakePotato Ball Yeast in as little water as possible, and when the potato is cool add the yeast; mix thorough- ly, and set it in a cool place for 2 or 3 days. When you wish to set bread to rise, have about as much fresh mashed potato, with sugar and salt added, as you took at first; mix this thoroughly with the first, then divide it in half; roll up one half in a ball for the next baking; add the other half to water sufficient for sponge for the bread.